Darkness and Desire
by myownalterego
Summary: Belle's role as the Stotybrooke librarian is exposing her to the tragic world of trash romance writing. As she tries to reconcile her complex feelings for Mr.Gold, she realises that she may have to let go of her inhibitions and embrace the darker side of romantic fiction, and the darker side of Rumplestiltskin. Rumbelle, rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Had she ever anticipated that the literary standards of the people of Storybrooke would be so simplistic and hollow, it would have been entirely likely that she would have refused Mr. Gold's gift of the town library on the spot. Books were her passion, her savior, her escape from the unpleasant realities that she faced both in her own world and this. She read the greatest romances and tragedies, tales of adventure and mystery; she saw that the very essence of her soul was a composition of the characters that she held as dear to her as those she called family. To even attempt to describe the depths of her passion would be an exercise in futility, which is why adding Granny's name to the already extensive waiting list eager to read the latest atrocity 'Fifty Shades of Grey' was an agonizing task for Belle. As the works of great writers sat gathering dust, trash romances circulated the town like some form of infectious disease. Although it seemed that there had barely been a dull moment in Storybrooke since the curse had broken, many of the townspeople were attempting to come to terms with their new identities, a combination of their true selves and the lingering legacy of their cursed memories and experiences. Somehow, trash romance had begun to fill the void for many, uniting the passion and true love of their world with the gritty realities of this. Frankly, Belle thought it was disgusting.

It was a complete mystery to her how people could relish in messy love stories full of twists and deceit, as she knew all too well that in reality such events could not be more horrible. Her feelings for Rumplestiltskin…Mr. Gold as she tried to keep reminding herself, were a cause of constant heartache and confusion. She loved the man but despised the monster, and the two had become so intertwined that she felt both extremes continuously, leaving her emotionally exhausted. Just as she felt tears welling in her eyes for the third time that day, her thoughts were disrupted by Mrs. Potts, the woman who had taken it upon herself to adopt a mothering role for Belle after her falling out with her father. 'Good morning! I hope you're well love; I bought you a few things to help brighten your morning. And might I say you look like you could use some brightening!' Mrs. Potts exclaimed as she placed a heavy looking box on the counter along with a cup of her famous tea that she brought for her each morning. Quickly blinking back the tears, Belle gave Mrs. Potts the most genuine smile that she could muster and took a big sip of tea to give her a moment to compose her thoughts. 'What's in the box?' Belle asked, already fairly confident of the answer before she had even looked at it. Mrs. Potts was the most avid reader of anything lacking originality and involving a lusty young couple, and she was always bringing new books from her shamefully vast collection to help the library grow and prosper. Titles like 'Emerald Fire' and 'Unrequited Desires' were overflowing from the box, and it took everything Belle had to stifle her girlish grin at the muscular men and helpless young women that graced the covers. 'Just a few books I thought you might like love, you should give one of them a glance! Pretty young thing like you could get any man you want and you choose that skinny git with the bad teeth; you could learn a thing or two from these my love.' Mrs. Potts said with a wink and a wave as she made her way out the door. Belle knew that Mrs. Potts had her heart in the right place, and she was well aware that in both worlds Gold had made it his business to provoke and torment as many people as possible, but the intense swell of emotion that overcame her as she heard these words only served to strengthen her convictions and reinforce the love she felt.

Books had become for Belle more than just a passion, they were currently serving as a very real distraction from an issue that was becoming more difficult for her to avoid. Since her memory had returned and her relationship with Gold had recommenced, they had spent almost every evening together at his house, yet despite the intensity of her feelings for him, she could not yet bring herself to become intimate with him. She needed to know that he could be trusted before she could take their relationship any further, and although he was doing his best to respect and honor her wishes, the tension that was clearly growing between them was becoming unavoidably evident. Each kiss was becoming harder to pull away from, and his embraces were becoming more forceful, as if she could feel the desperate longing in his fingertips, a longing that she shared. Each time, just as she was on the precipice of succumbing to her wants, a jolt of fear shot through her, as she was reminded of all the awful things he had said and done as Rumplestiltskin, and she would excuse herself and pick up whichever book was nearest, burying herself in it to avoid the heartbreaking look of disappointment and shame that filled Gold's dark eyes. Usually he would walk away, give himself a chance to calm down, and then return with some story of his day to avoid the topic. This evening, however, was different. Having closed the library for the night, Belle loaded Mrs. Potts' books into her car and headed straight for Gold's house, having spent the whole day allowing her feelings to grow and strengthen since her encounter that morning. As she burst through the door she dropped the books by the door and without saying a word, and pulled Gold in for the most charged kiss either of them had ever experienced. She grabbed a handful of his hair as he lifted her onto the kitchen counter, their hands desperately exploring each other with such passion that tiny bruises were beginning to show on Belle's pale skin. She felt his hand on her thigh and just as he was about to slide it further up, the jolt of fear she felt knotted in her stomach, and she pushed him away, grabbed a book of the pile she had dropped, and locked herself in the bedroom.

The angsty romance that she had grabbed was in no way sufficient to fully distract her, but she began reading it nonetheless, frantically trying to escape her own thoughts. She made her way through three awful pages before she heard Gold open the door, she quickly looked away from the door and began reading again, hoping to avoid looking into his eyes. 'Belle, I need to know what I can do to help you get through this. I know you're afraid of me, or of who I was but that's not me anymore, not now that I have you and I need to know what I can do to help you see that. I love you but I can't be with someone that fears me.' His voice was broken and quivering, as if he was on the verge of tears, his honesty melted her and she summoned all of her courage to turn and look at him. 'I need to learn to trust you. Everything from your reputation, your name and even your clothes remind me of the bad. I don't know how to do that but I promise I am trying.' He sat down next to her and begun to stroke her hair, he kissed her and said softly 'my reputation will take time, but you can call me anything you want, and I'll wear nothing but my pajamas if it means you trust me'. He kissed her tenderly on the cheek and left. Belle was at a loss for words, it was clear that for her he would do anything it takes to win her trust, but his inherent goodness, his preparedness to do right by others, to be honest and genuine, still terrified her. She had her man, but feared that the monster still lurked beyond her sights.

As she did every night, Belle sent herself off to sleep by reading, but the only book she still had was that book of Mrs. Potts. Being completely mentally, physically and most of all emotionally drained from the day, she couldn't find the strength to get up and pick another, so she decided that would do. It was a paperback that looked perhaps 20 years old with an illustration of a young semi-clad couple in a passionate embrace. The title made Belle roll her eyes, although the irony could not be lost in her reading 'Darkness and Desire'; she desired the Dark one after all. From even the first chapter, Belle recognized that there were likenesses between the characters in the book and her own situation; the protagonist's desire for independence, the internal conflict between common sense and desire, and even the dualistic nature of the characterized love interest. Her first instinct was to dismiss these parallels, frankly it was laughable to think that there was anything to gain from such drivel, but then she remembered Henry. Had the young boy not looked beyond the initial lunacy of delving into the realm of fiction, she would still be sitting in a padded cell without even a memory of the man that now consumed far more of her time and energy than she cared to admit. Perhaps it was time to set aside her literary snobbery and approach it with an open mind, at the very least she could get a few giggles from the ghastly 'quivering member' phrases, but there was no denying that any form of insight into the complexities of her relationship were desperately needed. That insight was not to come that night though, as her eyelids were growing heavy and the words became more and more blurry, so she placed the book on the nightstand next to her, with her page bookmarked, and felt Gold climb quietly in to bed and wrap his arms around her, kissing her lightly on the cheek at the exact moment that she drifted to sleep.

As much as she would never admit it, Darkness and Desire had made something of an impression on her, and as the library was experiencing an unusually quiet afternoon due to some new adventure that Charming and Snow were about to embark upon, she took the opportunity to read a little more. It fast became clear that there were no 'warm centers' or 'throbbing passions' to be found in this particular book, and Belle felt her cheeks become pink as she read things that she had never even heard of before; she was certainly going to struggle to look Mrs. Potts in the eye next time she saw her, knowing that this was the kind of thing that she read. She was ashamed to admit that she was really quite naïve regarding the true nature of sex, having been raised in the strictest propriety of Fairy Tale Land and knowing only what she had read in highly regarded literature. Passion, lust, and desire were some of the most common topics that she had encountered, yet what followed this desire was never addressed, it was always delicately phrased and meticulously avoided. Of course, she knew the very basics and mechanics, but she could not forget that Gold had been married and already has a son, clearly demonstrating that he was well practiced and highly experienced, which only added to her already very prominent nervousness. It seemed, however, that this book was about to change all of that.

The male character in her book was a harsh business man who acquired his power and fortune through the manipulation and exploitation of others. Reading this formed a sudden know in the pit of Belle's stomach, it was so close to her reality that it scared her and yet enticed her to read on further. Unlike Belle however, the protagonist took a different approach to taming her beast as it were, choosing not to fight against him but instead to try him at his own game, allowing him to believe he had the power by giving it to him, knowing full well that she could revoke this at any time. Chapter three of the book saw Belle's counterpart, named Harli, take her man to her room where two silk ropes were tied to her bedposts, where she allowed him to tie her up and do anything but enter her body. Belle felt a small shiver run down her back as she imagined doing this with Gold, which she attributed to a combination of arousal and nervousness. The idea of being so precocious was hard for her to possibly conceive, and yet she could not deny that it both excited her and suggested a possible solution to her problems. In making her own rules, Gold's manipulative nature would have less opportunity to present itself, and by being tied up he would be able to unleash his darker side in a controlled setting. This also presented a way for her to build her trust in him and to release some of the ever increasing sexual tension that grew between them, without giving herself to him entirely. It seemed that she had decided what the night was to hold for her.

Belle was certain that she had never been so nervous in all her life. The excited anticipation of the evening was not enough to completely stifle the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. Her hands trembled on her steering wheel as she drove to Gold's house where she knew he was waiting for her, as she began second guessing her plan, worrying that he may laugh at her or find her actions inappropriate or undignified. When she arrived at Gold's house, her jitters were clearly written all over her face, as Gold welcomed her with a brief kiss followed by an onslaught of questions asking if she was OK and if there was anything wrong. Belle saw a flash of terror cross his eyes, as though he was preparing for terrible news, it was the same fear she had seen when he allowed her to leave to go to town back in their own world. 'Don't worry I promise you I'm fine, I think I may just need to go lay down for a moment I'm not feeling very well. Will you come and check on me in ten minutes?' she forced out in a weak voice. 'Of course dearie take all the time you need, I'll come bring you a cup of tea' he replied with an unmistakable air of relief in his voice. He feared that their encounter last night was too much for her and that she was about to leave him. He found it so hard to restrain himself around her and it destroyed him to know that his actions had built a wall between them. He was prepared to wait as long as it took to pull that wall down.

For Belle, these ten minutes provided her with a perfect opportunity to enact her plan, as she changed into a revealing yellow satin negligee, reapplied her mascara, and tied two of Gold's ties to the bedposts, exactly as Harli had done in her book. She had just enough time to swallow her nerves and settle into her sexiest pose before she heard the sound of Gold's cane outside the door. She took a deep breath as the door opened and smiled sultrily. The expression on his face was exactly what she had hoped for; he froze on the spot with a look of surprised amazement and dropped the teacup he was holding, chipping it in exactly the same place as the cup that she had chipped at his house in their world. 'I...my God….I've never…oh..' there were no words for him to describe what he was feeling, looking at this beautiful creature that he already desired with every fiber of his being lying there offering herself to him. He found it impossible to believe that he, who was repugnant both inside and out, had this goddess looking straight into his eyes, wanting him as badly as he wanted her. There was no magic in any realm that had the ability to procure that look- behaviour could be controlled but not emotion. And he hadn't even seen the ties yet.

Belle rose off the bed and walked over to him, still standing motionless with his mouth agape, and began to plant the lightest kisses on his neck and up to his ear, where she gently took his earlobe between her teeth, letting her warm breath tease him. 'I want you. I'm ready for this but I have some rules. I want you to tie me to the bed, and I want you to do whatever you want to me. But, you are not allowed to enter my body. If you do, I promise that I will never speak to you again. Do we have a deal?' she softly whispered to him, feeling his muscles tense and tremble with desire. She knew too well that neither Gold nor Rumplestiltskin could pass on a good deal, and that once a deal was made, he would not break it. 'D…Deal' he murmured, seeming to have lost the ability to speak or think, operating entirely on feeling alone, feelings stronger than any that he had ever felt before that were not painful. She took him by the hand and led him to the bed where she lay down and put her arms in place by the ties, her nerves had faded entirely as she felt liberated by the control she realized she possessed over him. His hands still trembled slightly as he tied the ties around her wrists; firmly enough to hold her, but gently enough to ensure that she was comfortable. He unbuttoned his shirt and leaned over her, burying his face into her neck and kissing her with a forced restraint, for he feared that he would lose control completely if he were not careful. He placed his hand on her collarbone just above her breast, and before touching her any further he looked her in the eyes and asked as sincerely and seriously as he was able, 'Belle, are you sure that you're ready for this?' She looked back into his eyes with one of the most beautifully confident eyes he had ever seen and replied simply 'I love you.'

This was all the consent he needed. He returned to her neck, kissing her more passionately than he had ever kissed before, taking her soft skin between his teeth and biting until he heard her gasp with pleasure. He ran his hands down the length of her body, reveling in every curve and contour of her soft skin until he came to her thighs, where he began kissing her with the same insatiable longing to have every inch of her at once. His hands returned to her collarbone to the thin straps of the negligee that was prohibiting him from seeing the rest of her and as such had to be removed immediately. Belle was completely overwhelmed with pleasure and a sense of need that she had never known before; there was no fear, only a desire to experience everything that he could give to her. The rule that she had set seemed like a terrible mistake now, and it took everything she had to stop herself from demanding that he take her immediately. She felt her breasts become exposed, and let out a squeal of delight as she felt his teeth close down on her nipple, his warm breath and his tongue teasing her as she began to slowly grind herself against him. She felt how hard he was as his hips thrust in time with hers against her thigh. He stopped for a moment and looked at her; he wanted to make absolutely sure that she was comfortable with him before he went further. 'Belle, I want to kiss more of you, but I don't want to break your rules. Do you trust me to do this?' the forceful self restraint in his voice was clear, and she could see that exercising this kind of control was almost painful for him. 'Please' she whimpered, feeling as though she was about to explode from the tension and pleasure growing within her. Gold gave her nipple a final kiss before working his way down her body, running his fingertips lightly over the lace panties that were the only thing keeping him separate from her. He felt her shiver and slowly pulled them down over her perfectly formed thighs, leaving her looking beautifully vulnerable and completely at his control. He kissed her gently at first, but then slowly more and more passionately, responding to her increasingly loud moans. She pulled hard against her ties, wanting desperately to run her fingers through his hair, to touch him, to give him the pleasure that he was giving to her. Just as she thought that she couldn't take anymore of this pleasuring torture, taking her to the extremes of both ecstasy and an animalistic loss of control, she felt his tongue softly brush against her, and with a soft scream all of her tension and angst was replaced with a wave of pure pleasure and contentment unlike anything she had ever experienced. Gold ran his hands up her body and cupped her cheek with a smile of satisfaction, and kissed her softly on the lips. 'I love you too' he whispered.

Belle woke the next morning to the smell of breakfast cooking and a sound that she hadn't heard for years- whistling. She came downstairs with his dressing gown draped over the yellow negligee of the night before, her hair a mess but an unmistakable glow about her. Before she had the opportunity to say good morning, Gold ran up to her and enveloped her in the most loving embrace he had ever given. 'I have something to tell you dearie, I think you'll like it. I realize that what we did last night required a huge degree of trust from me, and I feel honored to be given that opportunity. I was thinking about what you said the other night and I've come to realize something- in Storybrooke I haven't a first name. I've never needed one before now but I don't want you calling me Rumplestiltskin or Mr. Gold, that's not who I am for you. My gift to you is my first name; I want you to choose one that you feel suits the real me, the me that I am for you.' He looked like an excited child, smiling the rarest of genuine smiles and it made him look gorgeous. 'I…I don't know what to say! Thank you but, are you sure about this? What if you hate it?' Belle had never felt more flattered and more special, but she knew the value of Rumplestiltskin's name and feared that this may be an empty gesture to get more from her than he did the night before. 'Belle I promise I will love the name that you choose for me because you chose it. I won't lie to you and say that I'm a changed man because I will always be who I am, but I want to be better, for us. And to be better I need a new identity. Please dearie?' his words spilled out of him with a passion that she hadn't seen before. It was impossible for her to restrain her smile, she knew that honesty of the heart did not come easily to him but he gave it willingly nonetheless. 'Of course I will then! Leave it with me though, I want to know that the name I choose for you is perfect.' She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave an excited giggle. 'Now tell me, what's for breakfast?'


	2. Chapter 2

**So I wasn't planning on doing more but then changed my mind. I promise that future chapters will start to get a little more substance to them and will come quicker! Please review **

The world looked different for Belle as she left the house on the way to the library that morning; colours were brighter, the air smelt fresher, it seemed as if the entire town was putting on a show just for her to prove how beautiful it could be. She was a woman in love with a man who loved her- she was untouchable. She arrived at the library earlier than usual, and found herself caught between two equally tempting tasks to fill her spare time. Gold's gift of a first name, by far the most beautifully intimate thing she had ever received, was something that she felt required a huge amount of thought and research, and like everything in her life, Belle felt that the answer would lie in a book. Nothing short of absolute perfection would suffice in her selection of a name; clichés and poor characterizations were to be avoided. The task would require complete devotion. She could not help to think, however, that she would be making no such decisions had it not been for that trashy miracle worker sitting in her handbag, tempting her more than she would ever admit to find a comfortable corner and immerse herself into the next chapter. What hurt could one or two more pages do before she opened the library for the day…

A sudden knock at the door startled Belle straight out of the trance she had fallen into. Her eyes flicked to the clock above her desk as she realized she had been sat there reading for a full 25 minutes, and was now late opening the library. She haphazardly threw the book on her desk and rushed to open to door to find a slightly concerned looking Mrs. Potts there waiting for her. The older woman's eyes conveyed three different emotions within the space of a minute, from worry to curiosity before settling on a devilish knowing gaze. Despite her years, of which there were almost 65, Mrs. Potts was still as sharp as anything, and the curiosity that was raised in her at Belle's very pink cheeks and guilty expression was very quickly resolved as she noticed her own personal favourite romance novel was laying open and face down next to her. 'Well well miss "I don't know how you read that rubbish", it seems to me that the infection as you so affectionately put it has reached yet another victim.' The grin that spread over Mrs. Potts face would have been just as suited to a teenage boy finding a stash of Playboys. Try as she might, Belle found herself unable to look away from her own shoes as she awkwardly tried to fumble an explanation, 'I..well I just thought…if everyone's so interested…can't judge if I don't know how bad it is.' A warm hand rested on her shoulder and Mrs. Potts composed herself enough to take on her more nurturing disposition, despite the fact that there were still a few clear giggles being stifled at the poor girl's expense. 'You're a grown woman, no need to explain. Have you gotten to the part with the anal clamps yet?'Belle's eyes grew wide with terror and embarrassment before the older woman began laughing hysterically at how easy it was to trick and pick on the sheltered little dear.

That morning had proven to be quite enough for Belle and she had resolved that there was to be absolutely no more reading of 'Darkness and Desire' while she was at work. Although she would have loved to say that this was simply because she didn't want to risk being caught again, deep down the truth was that it was far too distracting and left her with thoughts that she felt were far too inappropriate to be having while sorting Dr. Seuss books. The chapter that she had read had sent her imagination into a spin, and for the first time in her life, she was counting the minutes until she could leave the library and get home to Gold. Chapter two of Darkness and Desire exposed Belle to an idea that she had never previously even entertained- bringing intimacy out of the bedroom. The great literary works of passion and romance always involved soft mattresses and chamber doors, but this was no masterpiece. Belle had opened the book with the intention of reading for only a few minutes, to find the seductive protagonist baking a cake for Valentine's Day to surprise her lover. This would have only held Belle's attention for a few moments had it not been for the fact that Harli was baking dressed only in an apron and heels. The pages she read became a blur of passion, whipped cream and strawberries as she devoured each word with a mix of curiosity, surprise and a growing excitement that she quickly felt ashamed of as she encountered Mrs. Potts.

Cooking for Gold, or whatever she was meant to call him, had been another issue that had yet to be properly resolved since the two of them were reunited. Cook books were one of Belle's favourite things to browse through on lazy Sunday afternoons, and when she arrived at Rumpelstiltskin's expansive home she could not help but secretly feel excited about the opportunity to finally explore the practical application of her vast culinary knowledge. As a princess she was never allowed near the kitchens, but as a housekeeper she was to spend hours there every day, and it soon proved that she possessed something of a talent for cooking, providing Rumpel with meals and desserts that even his discerning tastes could not flaw. The sense of pride and accomplishment that Belle felt serving her creations was one of the things that she truly relished; a rare example of her own merits that she alone could be credited for. Despite the fact that Rumpel had genuinely enjoyed and occasionally still missed Belle's cooking, he had absolutely forbidden her from so much as making a piece of toast for him since they had been reunited in this world. He explained to her that so much as seeing her in the kitchen brought back a flood of memories of him holding her captive, treating her like a slave, and of losing her. Although she didn't want to cause him any kind of pain, she was not prepared to give up one of her few talents for the rest of her life, and she felt that perhaps easing him back into the idea of her being in the kitchen would be much easier with a little encouragement…

It would seem that being alive for over 300 years and in a curse for 28 more will turn even the most eccentric of characters into creatures of habit to some extent or another. For Gold, Saturday mornings meant a walk to his shop to total the books for the week, a coffee to go at Granny's, and now the addition of a freshly picked apple for Belle from Regina's garden, with the full knowledge of how much this enraged the disgraced mayor. This Saturday was to be no different. Belle knew that she had exactly one hour and 15 minutes to prepare herself for Gold's return home, which given her dreams the previous night could not come soon enough. After a quick shower Belle made a very quick trip to the supermarket for supplies, as well as a stop to Red's apartment for a pair of heels that were far more provocative than anything she had owned in her life. It seemed that Rumpel had made considerations prior to the curse and had somehow enchanted many of his belongings to come across with him, including many of the things he had given to Belle and kept for sentimental value, despite being unable to bring himself to look at any of it before they were reunited. She dug through one of her boxes in hope of finding the apron that she had been most fond of; mint green with very fine white pinstripes and cute ruffles along the edge. This combined with the pastel purple heels she had borrowed and her billowing chestnut locks seemed to create the exact effect she was after, innocent yet assertive and she knew for Gold, irresistible.

She had just finished laying everything out exactly as she wanted it when she heard his keys in the door. A smirk spread across her face as he absent-mindedly came towards her to kiss her before realizing that she was cooking. 'Belle I thought we agreed that you weren't goi…' his words caught in his throat in the same way that they had when he had used magic to silence them, only this was a far more powerful magic than he had ever had access to. Just as he was preparing to confront her about ignoring his requests, she had turned around to reveal her perfect bare figure accentuated by the height of her shoes, and a perfect mint green satin bow tied around her middle, like a beautiful gift waiting to be unwrapped. Her confidence had increased dramatically as a result of their last encounter, and the dreams she had the night before had given her ideas beyond what she had read. Before he had the chance to even attempt to speak to her, she pressed her lips against his and then held her finger against them to ensure his silence. She lifted herself onto the counter top next to a bowl of freshly whipped cream and used a spatula to put the smallest amount onto her collarbone, biting her lip invitingly. Barely able to control himself, he grabbed her hip with one hand and buried the other into her hair and he ravenously sucked the cream off of her with enough force to leave a faint red mark. The pleasure that this brought her was far greater than she had imagined possible and pushing him off of her gently was a much more considerable challenge than she expected. Taking the spatula again, she rested one leg upon his shoulder and ran a thin strip of cream from her knee all the way to the very top of her thigh, quivering with anticipation. His grip on her grew more forceful, if it weren't for the intensity of her need for him she was sure it would have been painful, but at this very moment it merely added to her excitement. He devoured the cream in the exact same way that he had devoured her nights before, bringing the memories of the encounter rushing back to her and making her moan with raw need for more of him.

He continued past her thigh and up the length of her body, kissing and biting all the way up to her neck where he pulled her closer to him, her bare self pressed agonizingly close to what he was struggling to contain within his trousers. She fumbled with his belt as he dug his nails into her back, making her squeal with desperate pain that seemed to only encourage her further. Just as she had freed him from his trousers, she summoned all of the strength she had to push him away before he attempted to enter her. He looked at her with an exact mix of confusion, desperation and concern, afraid that he had hurt her or pushed her beyond her comfort limits. He was very soon relieved of these concerns as the sexiest smile he has ever encountered spread across her face, as she slid off of the counter top and pushed him firmly against the refrigerator. A small tub of chocolate sauce was strategically placed next to it, as she begun to unbutton his shirt, falling to her knees while doing so. He could feel her warm breath against his thighs and a moan of pure desire left his throat as he dared allow himself to imagine what she was about to do next. It was his turn to be dessert. Belle let out a seductive giggle as she took a teaspoon and made a trail of chocolate sauce along the very bottom of his stomach just near his hip, and then proceeded to very thoroughly remove every last bit of it with her tongue. She repeated this on the other side of his stomach, feeling him shake as his knees struggled to support the weight of his restraint. He buried his hands deep into her thick tangle of hair just as she very slowly drizzled the chocolate sauce over his impossibly prominent erection. Before he had time to process what she was about to do, she had taken his entire length into her mouth and began to suck it with a furious passion he had never experienced before. A guttural moan escaped him as he was completely overcome with pleasure. Barely a minute had passed by before her intense passion completely overcame him- he attempted to push her back but she grabbed tightly onto his hips refusing to let him go. His hands clenched her hair and shoulders and he was completely enveloped by pleasure, feeling himself release into her.

He slid down against the floor to meet her, unable to speak as a result of what he had just experienced. It still seemed impossible to him that he was even able to look at such a beautiful creature without her looking back in disgust; to have her want him, desire him, pleasure him of her own want and free will was more than he could begin to comprehend. The self satisfied smile on Belle's face made it clear that the morning had gone exactly how she had planned, if not far better. It seemed that cooking was not the only thing that she was able to put into practice after a bit of reading, and the confidence it gave her to know that she was able to wield such control over the infamous Rumpelstiltskin, leaving him a disheveled mess on the kitchen floor was more than she was able to express. She sat herself next to him, taking him in her arms and kissing him softly upon the cheek and with an amused giggle asked 'so am I allowed to start cooking for you again?'

The rest of the weekend saw Gold treating Belle in the same manner that princes and lords had treated their ladies in the romance novels of home. He seemed determined to somehow convey to her the exact depth of his love and devotion, as if there was nothing in the world that would ever compare to the way he had made her feel that morning and yet he had to try anyway. He ran her a bath and lit candles for her, and prepared a picnic for them both while she was relaxing in it. Belle found it all to be a little over the top, but decided to let him explore his romantic side, knowing that it had been hundreds of years since he had been able to do so… that and she was enjoying filling the clichés of being in love that had alluded her ever since she realized what she felt. The satisfaction she had gained from their morning escapade had sated her completely, even despite the fact that she had been the one doing the pleasuring; she had for so long existed only to serve that she had come to take as much enjoyment in pleasing others than she did in being pleased herself. She found herself so much more in her element this time, being subservient yet independent and in control; it mirrored what she had desired for so long that to be able to achieve it intensified the experience greatly. Despite the fact that she knew her experience was still extremely limited and that she was still really a virgin, to her she had begun her descent into true womanhood, and was entirely confident that Gold would have no objection to participating as this developed further.

'So are you any closer to deciding what my new name shall be?' Gold asked as he begun unpacking the picnic basket he had meticulously composed. 'Well…if you were to make me choose right now, you would probably have me calling you Casanova forever, but I don't think that's really what you had in mind' she replied with a giggle. 'Aye not really, but I would chose that any day over being known as something like Charming…ugh!' Belle laughed feeling reassured that he really did want her to choose a name for him, meaning that he was serious about changing for her. Over the last few days it had been hard to believe that there was anything more to him than an absolute picture of perfection; the romantic, passionate and caring man she had been with was everything she could ever have hoped for. She made a point of thinking about everything that she knew he had done, everything he was capable of, through fear of getting hurt if he wasn't as different as he seemed. Even with this reminder of his full character, she couldn't help but smile as he looked at her with complete devotion- whatever the future held for them, there was no way that she would let anything ruin this moment for her.


	3. Chapter 3

**No sleep so 2 chapters in 1 night! More to come soon**

By Monday Belle and Gold had returned mostly back to their normal selves; Gold's grandiose gestures of romance had returned to kisses and cups of tea, and Belle's newly discovered sexuality had found its natural place within her identity. Although she had very much enjoyed being treated like a princess for a few days, she was really very relieved to have Gold return to his normal, slightly grumpier self given that that was what she had fallen in love with in the first place. She kissed him on the cheek as she rushed out the door with a piece of toast in hand running a few minutes later than she would have liked, only to be met with a grunt that let her know he was less than excited to be returning to work. It seemed, however, that Gold had perhaps been intuitive in his lack of enthusiasm to return, as he went to unlock the door and found that it was already open. For anyone else the possibility of forgetting to lock a door every now and again is not at all unreasonable, but for Gold, there was absolutely no chance whatsoever.

He slowly entered the shop, his teeth already clenched in anticipation for what he was about to find, gripping his cane to allow it to be used as a weapon if needed. Much to his surprise, the shop was still in perfect condition and exactly how he had left it…almost. The safes hadn't even been touched, nor had any of the jewels he had behind the counter. The only thing that was different was a much worn illustrated copy of a children's book from this world, it had been left open and there were circles drawn all over it in red marker. He picked the book up carefully; ensuring that if anything else had been done to it he would not damage the evidence, and checked the front to see the title. It barely came as a surprise to him to see the world 'Alice's adventures in Wonderland' embossed in gold across the front. Rage coursed through his veins, filling him with an anger that was far beyond anything that could be felt by a mere mortal. He pocketed the book and left the store with such fury that he broke the bell above his shop door, knowing exactly which direction he was heading.

Regina must have had some kind of vested interest in Jefferson back in there world, because he was one of the very few other people in Storybrooke that was almost as well of as he was himself. His house was not quite as large but much more modern, and the ex-hatter filled no obvious position within the town to earn himself any real fortune. Gold bashed on the door so hard that the wood almost seemed to bend away from its frame and he continued to do so repeatedly until he was answered. Before Jefferson had a chance to open his mouth, he was being held up against the wall with a cane against his throat.

'HOW DARE YOUBREAK INTO MY SHOP!' Gold roared, spitting and wild eyed.

'I have…I…can't….didn't….' Jefferson spluttered, desperately gasping for air and Gold's grip tightened for a moment before he let him fall to the ground.

The rage in his voice subsided and made way for a tone of pure hatred. Cane still pointed and ready to be swung, his eyes narrowed in on the man on the floor.

'I find my shop open, your ridiculous story open on the floor covered on pen and you expect me to assume that this had nothing to do with you. What exactly do you take me for? There is one single reason that I'm taking this to the sheriff and not dealing with you myself, and you had better believe you have been spared.' He turned and left to hand the book into Emma at the Sheriff's office, knowing full well that Jefferson knew better than to tell her about his little visit.

Back at the library Belle was enjoying a very normal morning; she had signed up dopey for a library card and promised she was going to help him with his reading, had a few of the nuns come in for their bible study group, which was really more of an excuse to drink tea and gossip, and had started looking through a few of her favourite books to get inspired for choosing Gold's name. Just as the nuns had left, her quiet morning was interrupted by a young girl that she had seen a few times come running in with tears streaming down her face. She recognized that it was Grace, a young girl that occasionally came in with Henry to borrow fairy stories. The poor girl seemed panicked and out of breath; Belle rushed to her with a water bottle she had behind the desk and helped her to a chair.

'What's wrong? Are you hurt? What's happened?' Belle asked quickly preparing herself for some kind of emergency.

'It's all my fault, it's my entire fault and he hurt my daddy and I didn't mean to…it was an accident I'm so sorry' the girl was having trouble making sentences between her sobs.

Belle rubbed the girl's back soothingly and tried to put as much calmness in her voice as possible. 'It's OK, I'm sure you didn't do anything wrong just tell me what happened and we can sort it out together'

'I was hiding upstairs and the man came and started yelling at my dad about a book from his shop. He thought daddy had broken in and was choking him but he didn't do it. Henry took me with him last night and we went into the shop because his mum's the mayor and has keys to get into lots of places. We didn't want to steal anything I just heard that my dad has a story with him in it like Snow and Charming and I wanted to read it but the only copy was there. I put circles on the parts that were about him because I wanted to see how many times he was in it that's all. When we left I didn't lock the door by accident and now dad's in trouble. The man choked him with his cane then said he was going to the sheriff and I'm sorry' Grace broke down into tears again.

Belle felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. A man with a cane flying into a violent rage about his shop left very few doubts as to who might be behind it and a wave of disappointment came crashing over her as she realized that the bubble of happiness she had been blissfully occupying had been popped just like she knew it would but prayed it wouldn't. She stayed to comfort Grace for a few minutes and then convinced her to come to the station to explain what had happened, knowing they would need to be quick to catch Gold before he left.

Belle was almost running by the time she got to the office, anger and frustration welling inside of her bringing her increasingly closer to losing all control of her temper. She came in to see exactly what she had expected, Gold standing with the book in his hand, rage in his eyes and the tone in his voice that cannot be met with reason.

'Would you like to explain yourself?' Belle shouted through her best attempt to moderate her anger.

'Belle this is not the time I can explain who did this and how they will be punished for it at home' his extremely forced patience dripped off of every word as he tried desperately to cool his temper.

'And will that explanation include the reasons that I have a 9 year old girl running to me crying saying that a man with a cane hurt her dad? Or maybe why a door that was unlocked with a key and a book that was drawn on with a marker is being taken to the sheriff? Grace and Henry broke into your store, NOT Jefferson, she just wanted to read her dad's story. Henry had a Regina's skeleton key and nothing else was touched. Now I suggest you leave Emma alone and start thinking of a very gracious way of making this up to a scared little girl and her father. NOW.' All of this was said within the space of a minute, her tone growing harsher and her piercing eyes narrowing in further with every word.

Gold's face dropped. His best efforts for change had been ruined in one swift movement. He had terrified a child, hurt and innocent man, embarrassed himself in front of Emma and potentially ruined his relationship with Belle. After a few moments of silence he walked over to Grace who had been standing terrified behind Belle the entire time and dropped to his knee, placing a hand on her shoulder.

'I'm so sorry I frightened you. I was wrong and I did a very bad thing hurting your father. You can have the book as a small way for me to say sorry and I want to come with you to apologize to your father if that's OK with you?' His tone was pure sincerity. Grace nodded her head and Gold made his way towards the door with her. Before leaving he looked back at Emma who was standing there with a look of disbelief on her face.

'If Jefferson wishes to press charges I will willingly accept them. You know where you will find me.'

Before he had gone completely, Belle stopped him. 'I'll be staying in the library tonight. Do not try and talk to me, I'll be back tomorrow and you had better have something good to tell me by then.' He nodded solemnly before leaving with Grace in tow.

There was a small room on the second level of the library that had been set up with a single cot bed and a television in the corner, apparently the nuns had set it up in case anyone needed a place to spend a night or two but it had never really been used except by Sleepy the dwarf once or twice. She paced around the room for what must have been an hour replaying the event out in her head. On one hand she was fuming; she had come so close to trusting him, to giving herself to him and he had managed to completely undo all of it, and over a children's book! And yet despite her rage she realized that she couldn't overlook the reality of her situation: her lover was _Rumpelstiltskin._ She had made the decision to pursue a relationship with the most evil man known to their world, knowing who he was and knowing about the 'beast' as he put it. He made a mistake and it was not going to simply be forgotten, but before their relationship he would have killed Jefferson, he would have demolished half of his shop and he would not have gone to a sheriff. She was starting to think maybe he should have two new first names, Jekyll and Hyde.

Belle fell onto the bed exhausted. Despite wanting him far away from her, she couldn't help but miss his presence that she had not been without since her release. She reached for her bag to check her phone to ensure that he hadn't called her, but instead pulled out the trashy little book she had begun carrying around instead.

She gave a cynical little laugh and said to herself 'Well hey it seems to have the solution to every other problem in my relationship…let's see what it could possibly do with this one.'

There were certainly no strawberries in this chapter. Harli's reformed womanizing playboy had been caught in a compromising position with his secretary at a staff Christmas party. He swore that nothing had happened but he had already done the damage being caught in the cloak room in the first place. The parallels were not lost on Belle as she started to feel that this book may belong to some kind of erotica realm or something…or perhaps that men really are all just the same. As she read through the chapter she could feel her cheeks reddening slightly and her eyes widen. She didn't know people did things like that. Her newfound feeling of being a sexually enlightened woman suddenly seemed naïve and childish- and she was only up to chapter three. She placed the book down on the floor and began thinking of exactly how she was going to execute this. She had tried so hard to get to a place where she trusted him and he made it difficult for her, so perhaps it was time she put his trust to the test right back.

The internet was one thing that had kept most of the residents of Storybrooke sane through the duration of the curse. Although certain things seemed to be filtered by the curse for reasons that no one completely understood, online shopping was still available and it could probably account for 80% of the clothing, home wares and gifts that were given in the town. Delivery trucks could come through the town, but something about it left the drivers feeling compelled to leave as soon as they possibly could, ensuring none of them stayed a minute longer than needed. The internet was also going to be a crucial tool in carrying out her plan, for there are certain things that they just don't sell in towns like Storybrooke. Gold had given her one of his credit cards and shown her how to pay for things online, telling her to use it as often as she wished but she never had before. Until now all she needed was clothes and books and she had both. The total came to almost $300, but she decided that she could justify it this time, and who knows, maybe she would use some of it again.

It took 4 days for her package to arrive, and in those four days there was a noticeable tension in the air between the couple. Gold was doing everything in his power to repent to her without disobeying her request for him to give her plenty of space. He had done washing, cooked her some amazing meals, and had even volunteered to read to a group of young children at the primary school. Belle did take notice of all of this but was still not quite prepared to let him off the hook just yet; he had to realize she was not to be taken for granted. The box arrived on a Friday morning, only moments after Gold had left for the shop. Once every few weeks Belle would schedule a day off for herself in the week just to give her a better chance to adjust to life here and this was one of those days. She opened the box like a child on Christmas morning, both excited and terrified by what she found in there. It wasn't nearly as extreme as some of the things she had read about in the book, but it was what she knew she would be most comfortable with. Half an hour before Gold was expected home, Belle began preparing herself and the bedroom for what was promising to be an interesting night.

As Gold came through the door he was surprised to see that belle wasn't in any of the main rooms. He searched around for her, beginning to worry that perhaps the last few days had been too much for her and she had left. He opened the bedroom door to see if she was there, and was completely stunned by what was waiting for him. His Beautiful Belle, his princess, was standing in front of him in a leather mini dress with a zip right up the middle, a set of handcuffs in one hand and a riding crop in the other.

'What is this Belle?' He asked carefully, the look on his face somewhere between confused and intrigued.

'Tonight I ask the questions, you speak when spoken to. Understand me?' Her tone was firm but still loving; he could tell this was not coming naturally to her. He nodded slowly. 'I trusted you, and that wasn't easy, now you're going to need to learn how to trust me when it isn't easy. Lie down' she took his hand and pulled him towards the bed.

A blindfold lay on the bedside table and she tied it over his eyes, planting a single gentle kiss on his lips. She unbuttoned his shirt and ran a single sharp fingernail down the length of his body, his back arching with it as she did. She began kissing his neck, at first softly but then increasingly more passionately, biting his neck harder than she had ever dared before. He ran his hands along her body, only to find them met with a firm grip around the wrist and then the cold chill of metal on his skin and the noise of the handcuffs. He was now unable to see or move and Belle had him completely under her control. Had she read this chapter a week ago, it's likely that she would never have even entertained the thought of imitating it; her pleasure came in the pleasure of others, however given the circumstances she was far more turned on than she had expected to be by her newfound dominance, and she wanted to revel in every minute of it.

She returned to his neck and then down to his chest, flicking her tongue softly against his nipple, before taking it between her teeth and biting it just hard enough to know he felt it. Straddled over him she could feel the adrenalin course through his body as he jerked at the pain, and at the same time he pressed harder up against her thighs than before, grinding out of instinct and want. She began undoing his belt and unzipping him, exposing just how much he was enjoying himself. She positioned herself directly over it, making sure that he could feel exactly how close he was to being able to take her, but staying just out of his reach. He was unable to fight the need to thrust against her, his body acting of its own accord, no longer within his control. He felt the cool leather strap of the riding crop on his chest, felt it sliding as she brought it over his belly and past his hips. Belle made sure that he could feel that the strap was touching him right between her legs, she couldn't help but smile at the sudden look of panic that came over him as he fully realized the powerful position she was in.

'Do you trust me?' she questioned teasingly.

'Yes…please yes I trust you please don't!' It all came out in out long jumbled word.

'Do you understand the value of trust in a relationship?' Her words were clam and measured with a hint of condescension.

'Yes. Yes I understand. I'm sorry Belle.' He calmed himself to ensure he sounded genuine.

'Good'

She took the crop away from him, and saw a look of relief flood over him. She climbed off of him and gave him a swift smack on the side for good measure. She removed the blindfold from his eyes and leant down to give him a gentle kiss. Gold was still restrained and still in desperate need of release after everything Belle had done to him.

'I'm going to go take a bath; I should be back in fifteen minutes. I think you can stay here and think about what we've discussed. Best leave you restrained for now; we don't want you finding any…distractions' with a wink and a devilish giggle she left the room leaving Gold looking utterly disappointed. If this hadn't gotten her point across she had no idea what else would.

The next morning Gold awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs and extremely naked Belled climbing back into bed next to him and cuddling up close. She decided that her point was made and that she was beginning to miss his company. The breakfast and nudity was her way of ensuring that she wouldn't have to hear about it this morning. It was Saturday again and it had been an eventful week to say the least, she had gone from picnics to bondage, and was still no closer to deciding his name yet, but she was content knowing that he was hers and she was his and that was enough right then.


End file.
